Slain lawyer's daughter says he would have been first to defend teen charged in the killing
A 16-year-old youth has been arrested in the April 15 stabbing deaths of a long-time California lawyer and his wife.
The name of the teen, who lives in Davis, has not been released, report CBS13, the Daily Democrat, and the Sacramento Bee. He is a suspect in the deaths of Davis residents Oliver “Chip” Northup, 87, and his wife, Claudia Maupin, 76. Police did not disclose a motive. The youth was arrested after police searched several locations, including a home a few doors away.
Northup’s daughter, Mary Northup, told the Sacramento Bee she saw a moving truck at the same home a few weeks after the slayings. She said she was relieved to hear of the arrest.
“I thought, ‘It’s a 16-year-old. It’s a kid. Why would a kid want to kill an 87-year-old father?’ ” she told the Sacramento Bee. “My father would be the first to jump up to defend that kid. … I’m sorry we’ve suffered for his poor judgment. But I’m also sorry for this young man who has ruined his life.”
Northup had practiced law for 63 years, working on criminal appeals in his later years. He was also lead singer for the folk group the Putah Creek Crawdads.
